Improvement in pocket or spring knives



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SINGLETON AND EDMUND PRIESTMAN, OF SHEFFIELD, GREAT BRITAIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN POCKET OR SPRING KNIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 199,868, dated January29,1878; application filed December 29, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLlAM SINGLETON andEDMUND PRIESTMAN, both of Sheffield, in the county of York, in theKingdom of Great Britain, have invented certain Improvements in Springor Pocket Knives, of which the following is a specification:

The objects of this invention, which relates to improvements in springor pocket knives, are to render the blades more secure when open, and toincrease the resistance to and prevent them from being inadvertently oraccidentally closed.

The invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawings.

These objects we attain by forming in the pivot end of the blade 1 aslot, 2, in which a catch, 3, on the spring 4 of the blade engages, and,when the blade is open, secures it, as shown in the sectional view,Figure l, and prevents it from being accidentally closed. A littlefarther from the pivot 5 of this blade its spring 4 is formed with aprojection, 6, which lies over the spring 7 of the side adjacent blade,or other instrument, 8, of the knife, (see Fig. 2,) in such manner thatupon this blade or instrument 8 being slightly depressed when in itsclosed position, (see Fig. 3,) the spring 4 is forced backward, and itscatch 3 disengaged from the slot 2 in the blade 1, which can then beclosed or shut down. This improvement can be applied to any or all ofthe blades of a knife.

We also increase the resistance of the springs 4 7 by inclosing themwithin a metallic back, 9, leaving a short portion only visible at eachend of the knife, as shown in the back view, Fig. 4, the back andmetallic sides of the knife being formed of a suitably-shaped plate,(see Fig. 5,) from which the sides 10 are turned up at the lines 11, atright angles to the middle part 9, forming the back. (See Fig. 6,) Thisformation gives a greater resisting power to the springs 4 7 against theblades when open than is afforded by the usual Albert-backed or coveredsprings. The plate may be formed with or without the metal ends 12.

We claim as our invention- The combination, in spring or pocket knives,substantially as and for the purpose specified, of the slotted blade 1,with the spring-catch 3, arranged to be actuated, as described, by thedepression of an adjacent blade or instrument upon a projection, 6, ofthe said spring.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of 'two subscribing witnesses.

WM. SINGLETON. EDMD. PRIESTMAN.

Witnesses HENRY GILLns CARR, Gno. B. BINGLEY,

Hanover Square, Shqflield.

